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(No Model.) 2 sheetssheet 1. I J0 Sil STEAM FRUIT EVlfmdulnR.l

Patented Peb. [18, 1896.

Imhof Jo S. LAM/erp) A-I. Wifgcsszs l (No Model.) l Y A 2 sneesssneet 2.'

- J. S. ALLEN.

STEAM'FRUIT BVAPORATOR.-

10.554,639; l Patented Feb. 118, 1896.

Z'S Julen wligzsszs j mwffws @NITE STATES ATENT Fricn.

J OT S. ALLEN, OF GAINESVILLE, GEORGIA, ASSIGNOR OF TVVOTHIRDS TO JOHN A. ROARK AND FRANK L. COMER, OF SAME PLACE.

STEAM FRUIT-EVAPO RATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,639, dated February 18, 1896.

Application filed August I0, 1895. Serial No. 558,877. (No model.)

To allya/hom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, J OT S. ALLEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Gainesville, in the county of Hall and State of Georgia, have invented a new and` useful Steam Fruit-Evaporator, of which the following isa speciiication.

This invention relates to an improvement in fruit-evaporators, and has for its object to provide a novel and efficient construction of steam-generator and drying-table, in which provision is made for generating the steam with increased rapidity, for maintaining the Water supply in the boiler without materially reducing the steam-pressure, for automatically exhausting a portion of the water and relieving` the steam-pressure, and for effecting a thorough circulation of the steam beneath the upper plate of the drying-table and the ready escape of the condensed steam therefrom.

Other obj ects and advantages of the invention will appear in the course of the subjoined description.

The invention consists in certain novel features and details of construction and arrangementof parts, as hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the drawings and finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l' is a vertical section taken through the steamgenerator and drying-table of the improved fruit-evaporator. Fig. 2 is a perspective View of the evaporating-table. Fig. Sis ahorizontal section through the same. Fig. 4: is an underneath perspective view of one end of the evaporating-table, showing the manner of hinging the supporting-legs thereto.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, l designates the main body of the steam generator or boiler, Y

the same being made in the form of aconical vessel and disposed with the smaller or contracted end downward. This boiler is surrounded by and supported within a suitable brick furnace 2 in such manner that about two-thirds or three-quarters of the superficial area of the boiler will be exposed within the furnace to the direct action of the heat, while the upper expanded end of said boiler will be projected slightly above the walls of the furnace in the manner 'illustrated in Fig. l. This boiler is also provided witha verticallydisposed central flue 3, extending concentrically through the `boiler and provided with a damper 4C for regulating the draft. Upon the upper end of the central flue 3, is arranged a revoluble hood 5, having an inclined top which constitutes a deector for preventing the wind from affecting the draft of the furnace. This hood may be turned to any desired point, according to the direction in which the wind is blowing. By the construction described hereinabove it will be seen that an unusually large area of the exe terior surface of the boiler or generator l is exposed to the action of the lire, and that the heat passes centrally through said boiler, as well as entirely around the saine.

6 designates the supply-pipe, by means of which the boiler is filled with water, said pipe passing through the top wall of the boiler and extending to within a very short distance of the bottom of said boiler, as shown in Fig. l. The upper end of said pipe, above the boiler, receives a funnel 7, which facilitates the introduction of water and at a suitable distan ce beneath the top of the boiler and within the same said supply-pipe is provided with a branch 8, which extends through the side wall of the boiler and serves as an overiiowpipe, thus determining the uppermost limit of the water-level within the boiler. As a result of this peculiar arrangement of coinbined supply and overflow pipes, it will be noted that, when necessary,'additional water may be introduced into the boiler without materially reducing the steam-pressure as the water passes to the bottom of the boiler. At the same time steam is prevented from escaping through the supply-pipe or overiiow branch thereof by reason of the proximal relation of the lower end of said pipe to the bottom of the boiler and the submersion thereof. The supply-pipe and its branch overiiow portion also constitute and act in the capacity of an efficient water-gage and safety-valve, since upon the steam-pressure becoming abnormally high the water will be ejected through said pipe'by the action of the steam, thus increasing the steam-space and reducing the pressure.

The evaporator-table indicated at 9 com prises a rectangular bottom, preferably of wood, over which is arranged a sheet-metal top 10, the surrounding edges of which are turned downward, as indicated at 11, and secured to the edges of the bottom board in an y convenient manner that will. afford a tight joint, the arrangement being such that a steam-space of any desired vertical ext-ent is afforded between the bottom board and the sl1eet-metal top.

At one side and about centrally of the length of the table 9 is an aperture 12, through which a steam-supply pipe 13 enters the space within the evaporatingtable. This steampipe communicates with the steam-space of the boiler or generator 1 and extends at its opposite end to a point approximately in the center of the evaporating-table- Adjacent to the aperture 12 and upon the same side of the evaporating-table is an exhaust spout or nozzle 141-, leading to which are two or more drain grooves or gutters 15 formed in the up per surface of the bottom board of the evaporator-table and disposed diagonally thereof in the manner shown in Fig. By this par ticular construction and arrangement the steam is projected against the opposite side of the table to that at which it enters, a thorough circulation of the same through the steam-space of the table is afforded, and the condensation is finally directed through the obliquely-disposed drain-gutters to the exhaust spout or nozzle, which also affords an exit for a superabundance of steam.

The top of the table has extending around three of its sides a vertically-disposed guard or rail 1G for preventing the fruit from passing off the edges of the table, while leaving one edge of the table unobstructed to facilitate the placing of fruit thereon or its removal therefrom.

17 indicatesaseries of transversely-extending ribs or guards which divide the table-top inte a number of compartments or sections, the object of which is to permit a portion of the fruit which has beensufliciently dried to be successfully removed and replaced by fresh fruit without in any way interfering with the remainder of the fruit undergoing the process of evaporation.

The evaporating-table is preferably provided with folding legs, which are composed each of a section of wire or rod, which is bent at its central portion to form a looped shaped stop 18, upon ea-eh side of which it is projected horizontally and transversely of the tablebottom to form journal portions 19. These journal portions pass through suitable bearing eyes or staples in the bottom of the table, after which the terminal portions of the wire or rod are extended downwardly and slightly at an angle to form the inclined legs 20. By

reason of this construction the legs may be folded inwardly against the bottom of the table for the purposes `of transportation and storage, and when it is desired to set up the table said legs may be folded downward and outward until the stop portions 1S strike against the bottom of the table, whereupon the legs are prevented from moving farther.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that a simple and efiicient steam evaporating device is obtained wherein provision is madeforarapid generation of steam for replenishing the water supply in the boiler without materially affecting the steam-pressure, and wherein a peculiar construction of water-supply pipe and an overiow branch thereof affords a combined water-gage and safety appliance. Provision is also made for a thorough circulation of the steam within the steam-space of the evaporating-table and the draining off of the water of condensation from the same side of the table at which the steam enters. The provision made for removing a portion of the contents of the table without affecting the rest of the fruit thereon also affords an advantage over devices of a similar nature as heretofore constructed.

Various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new,and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a fruit-evaporator, the combination with a conical boiler or steamgenerator having an annular water-space and a central flue, of a water-supply pipe extending to a point in proximal relation to the bottom of the boiler, and a branch or lateral extension of said pipe passing through the boiler and acting in the capacity of a combined water-gage and safety-valveI and a steam-pipe leading from said boiler to the evaporatingtable, all arranged substantially in the mann er and for the purpose speeied.

2. In a fruitevaporator, a steam-generator comprising a hollow body, a central flue, and a surrounding steamand water space, in combination with a pipe arranged within lsaid space and extending to a point in proximal relation to the bottom of the generator and passing at its opposite end through the wall of the boiler at a point beneath the top thereof and having provision for the introduction of water with which to supply the generator, thus adapting said pipe to actin the capacity of a combined water-gage and safety-valve, an evaporating-table having an underlying steam-space, and a steampipe leading from the generator to the steam-space of the table, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

.IOT S. ALLEN. X'Vitnesses:

JN0. P. CALDWELL, J. B. S'rovALL.

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